From This Shore
by that's-a-Secret
Summary: "He used to imagine this...that there was some place where things happened in a way they didn't happen here. Where someone would take the west road instead of the east road and have a different life. Stay home instead of leave." Live instead of die. -no OCs, surprisingly
1. Voyage 1

She gritted her teeth. The heat, the thirst, the _indignity_ were dull pains in the back of her mind, like the bruises from the wooden post pressed tight against her back by rough rope coils, but she could bear it, she was almost done. Just a few more days now.

Low, rapid hissing sounded behind her; and then a yelp of panic. She jerked her head around, trying to see. The angle of the post constrained her movements, though.

"Are you _crazy!? _Get back here! You'll die!" someone squealed in a high-pitched voice she didn't recognize.

Footfalls behind her. Someone had jumped over the wall? Not the little girl, these steps were broader, almost jaunty. Two strangers, then. One on the other side of the wall, one coming rapidly closer. She ran her tongue over her parched lips and tensed in preparation for danger.

A boy trotted around to face her, into her line of view. He stopped when his eyes were level with hers.

And the first thing she ever heard him say was: "Hello! I'm the man who's going to be the Pirate King. It's very nice to meet you!"

He held his hat in place as he bowed into a perfect 90 degree angle. When he stood straight again, he shook out the loose black hair from his face and grinned broadly.

She blinked, the thoughts in her mind running in circles and crashing into each other. After a pause, she decided to take things one at a time and picked the question that bothered her the most.

"A pirate?" she breathed.

He laughed. "Yeah! I'm a pirate - a real pirate!"

Her voice became frigid, then. "What do you want?" she spat.

"You're the Yuki Onna," he said, as if calling her a snow monster were the same as commenting on the weather. "They say you're a bad person. I came to check if it was true, because you can't always put your faith in rumors, you know, I learned that a way long time ago."

"Well, then, get lost. You will find nothing here."

"What? Why?" Two bright black eyes gazed at her in bewilderment.

"I don't speak to pirates."

The boy scrunched up his face and stared at her for a moment.

"I came, you see, because I heard from Rika about what happened," he mused aloud. When he got no response, he put his hands behind his head and looked up at the sky. "You're not a bad person at all, are you? It's the marines who're bad. I wanted to see you first just in case, but Rika was telling the truth, you're a good person.

"The same thing happens to a lot of pirates, you know - some of us are better than the marines. People get black and white mixed up a lot when they can't see from close up, that's why. But I can tell. What makes us pirates isn't that we're bad, it's that we don't have to listen to anybody. All we need is the big, wide sea, and we can do anything we want out there, have any kind of adventure. It's about freedom. It's a Romance Dawn."

He moved his hands, put one on his hat and one on his hips. "Yuki Onna," he said gravely. "Are you strong?"

The response was automatic. "Yes."

"How strong?"

"I'm going to be the greatest swordsman in the world." She glared at him, dared him to challenge it. "And I'm stronger than you, so I will never bow down to you. Pirate scum," she added for good measure.

He burst out laughing.

She growled, clenching her fists threateningly, and she hated every speck of this stranger's guts until he finally wheezed between guffaws, "See, you do speak to pirates! You're talking to me right now!"

"That was an exception!" she snapped.

"See! See! You did it again!" he cackled.

"Oh, for the love of - will you please just_ shut up_!? I told you to get lost!" She glared at him furiously.

"But you're _funny!_ And you're strong! I like you already!" - and perhaps, somewhere inside of her, she might have begun to warm to him, just a tad.

His laughter died down after a little while, but the smile remained. He crossed his arms across his bare chest and grinned at her. "I've decided!" he barked, and she jumped. "You're joining my crew!"

"...Excuse me?"

"I like you! So you're joining my pirate crew!"

"I refuse!" she sputtered. "Why would I become a pirate!? I _hunt_ pirates for a living!"

"But that's boring! You can do better than that." He held out his hands. "C'mon! You've got a sword, right? I'll go get that, and you'll be my nakama!"

"Nakama-!? I told you, I refuse! Give me my sword and I'll kill you first!"

He stuck his tongue out childishly. "You can try, but it's not going to work, I'll bet. Hold on a sec, I'll be right back."

And then he skipped off happily, straight toward the marine base where her captor lived. Behind her, the other stranger screeched a warning, but he had already jumped over the wall and disappeared from sight.

There was a wild moment of speculation - would he be killed? or tied to a stake next to her? who was he anyway, and what kind of pirate waltzed into marine bases all by himself like that? - and then there was an explosion. She could see a tongue of flame leap up around where the base entrance should be, before black smoke obscured the view. Marines were screaming.

"What on _earth _is happening?" she hissed under her breath.

A squeak, and then a body tumbling to the floor. She twisted her head around futilely.

"Who is this now?" she shouted at the other stranger.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a short, pudgy boy flinch. "M-m-my name is Coby, Ms. Onna," he stammered. It irked her to no end that he wouldn't step up so she could see him properly. He sounded weak, and frail of will. He shouldn't be somewhere as dangerous as this.

"So, Coby. Are you another suicidal madman?"

"N-no, not r-really, haha."

"Then you're only a fool trapped beneath that pirate's thumb. You should run now, while you still have the chance."

And the weakness was gone, like so much smoke. "I'm not under his thumb," the boy said evenly. "I'm his nakama. And I'm going to get you out of here."

Another explosion shook the marine base. A window shattered and spit out a plume of fire magnificently.

"His nakama?" she asked. Her hands were tied behind her back around the post, numb from days of restricted blood flow, but she could dimly sense nervous fingers worrying the rope knots. "What're you doing? Stop that!"

"I was there, too," he persisted, "when Rika was talking about you. It's horrible what the marines did. I won't let such a disgraceful act go on."

"I don't need your help! The Lieutenant's son promised to set me free in just a few more days, as a challenge for my endurance - don't get in the way when I've almost completed it!"

"No - no no no, it's a lie, he lied!" he wailed then, throwing up his hands in despair. "He never intended to set you free! He said he was going to execute you publicly in three days!"

She felt her chest grow cold, and swallowed a sudden uncomfortable nausea.

"..._What__?_" Her voice cracked a little.

"He was just toying with you - tricking you this whole time! He doesn't deserve to be called a marine!" Coby attacked the ropes with renewed vigor.

The explosions in the base were growing more frequent, each time higher up the building. She watched their progress in fascination.

"One day I'm going to become a real marine," Coby continued. "I'll make sure something like this never happens again."

"A future marine? Conspiring with a pirate?"

He laughed nervously. "You're right, it's strange, isn't it? But after getting to know him it doesn't feel strange at all. He's the one who inspired me to follow my dream, in fact. I'm going to do it, just like he's going to become the Pirate King."

"He's serious about that," she said quietly.

"Yes. I was surprised, too, but he is."

Then the shot was fired.

She saw it, out of the corner of her eye. A flash of movement. A spray of red. The bullet struck Coby, and he fell forward, into her line of view, were he lay spread-eagled on the ground and screaming in pain. A circle of marines stepped into the grounds seemingly out of nowhere. Their guns were pointed at her and her would-be rescuer.

She turned and saw the man who had fired the gun. The Lieutenant himself, finally appearing for the show. She recognized him immediately, not because of any resemblance to his son (of which there was none), but for the arrogant fierceness with which he carried himself and the giant ax that made his right hand. A growl rumbled in the back of her throat as she leveled her darkest look at him. How dare he. Coby was unarmed, had been unaware, and now that she looked at the figure in the dust she realized that he was just a boy, barely a teenager. The man had no concept of shame.

"I'm going to die! Oh God! I'm going to die!" Coby screeched. He was hyperventilating.

Which meant he was breathing. A bit of the tension in her released at the realization.

"Hey. Hey, can you walk?" she said callously.

"I, I don't know, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Surround the base!" the Lieutenant barked. "Don't let the firefist escape!"

Firefist?

"Save yourself, Coby," she whispered to the boy with her eyes trained on the Lieutenant. "Leave."

Coby sat up and gasped, "No. Have to...have to set you free...promised him, he..."

The Lieutenant stomped heavily toward her, his ax hand resting on his shoulder. "How interesting," he said. "The three of you are planning to cause political upheaval? Yuki Onna...I've heard of your feats for a very long time, but today you have underestimated me. Before my great strength you're nothing but a weakling." He smirked around his metal jaw. "What can a woman do?"

How dare he.

"I'm going to free you," Coby blubbered, "really quick, just please! You gotta go with him! You don't have to be a pirate - but just help him escape from this town! He's my savior! Please!"

She realized with shame that she had misjudged him - this boy had strength in him, too.

"Ready!" the Lieutenant roared. The twenty marines aimed their guns.

Coby screamed again. In the highest floor of the marine base, a final explosion rocketed into the sky. The guns fired.

Time seemed to slow as sound became limited to her heartbeat. She stared wide-eyed at the bullets approaching fast, fast, fast, and she strained against the ropes (_such weak bonds but she was weaker, she had failed, she couldn't-_) willed them to stop with all her might.

She couldn't die here, not now, not yet.

She had a dream to chase. A goal to reach.

_A promise to keep._

_"I'll become the best! Until even heaven will hear of my name! I promise you, Zoro!"_

A jet of flame burst before her eyes, dazzling her.

The seconds passed. She shook her head clear and stared at the spectacle.

The pirate had taken the bullets for them.

And now he was on fire.

"Ace-san!" Coby cried.

"Hey, Coby!"

Briefly, the boy turned to the gaping marines and gave a perfect right-angle bow, still smoldering. "Sincere apologies, but guns don't work on me." Then he spun around to her and flashed her a smile that flickered in the corners. "Hey, Yuki Onna! I found your sword!"

She returned his unflappable amiability with a crooked smile. "...Thanks."

"Oh, but wait, I almost forgot. You know you're going to be an outlaw if I give it to you and we beat up these dumb marines, right?"

Her smile broadened to a full-on grin. "What are you, the devil incarnate? Fine. It's a deal - I'll be a pirate!"

The pirate called Ace let out a whoop. "Alright! A crew mate!"

"Now what on earth are you?" she cut in.

"Oh, yeah. I ate the Mera Mera Devil's Fruit, so I can turn into fire. See?" He reached forward and laid a flaming hand on the ropes. Upon contact, they crumbled into ash instantly, and the bindings fell limply away to leave her free. "I'm not too good at controlling it yet, but I can shoot smaller flames and I can make the fire hot enough to redirect bullets."

A boy made of fire. She already liked being a pirate.

"A-a-a-ace-san!" Coby wailed. "They're coming!"

She only took a moment to measure the strengths of the charging marine swordsmen. She turned back to Ace and raised an eyebrow.

"Sword," she demanded. Wadou Ichimonji was placed into her open palm.

"Wait. You got a name besides Yuki Onna?" he asked, just before she stepped into battle.

"Of course. Yuki Onna is just something people started to call me. I only give my name to the people I respect."

When he didn't prod, only waited expectantly, she smiled gently at him in appreciation.

"My name is Kuina."

He nodded. "And my name is Ace. I'm glad you're my nakama, Kuina."

And though she wouldn't admit it, she was, too.

The blade whispered out of its sheathe with a serene glint of steel.

* * *

**Words of the Sheep: **I read Overlap by Tonko and was so utterly floored by that AU concept that I made up an entire plotline to go with it. I so, so, so want to see how each character ended up on that Sunny instead of the crew of our Sunny. And also I love Tonko's Kuina and Ace, in fact I love Tonko's everybody. So here, chapter one of an experimental fic that may or may not be completed depending on reader input.

enjoy.

(Don't worry I'm still working on Regarding the Feminine Gender.)


	2. Voyage 2

Marines weren't the kind of fodder Kuina usually cut up, but in practice, it was disappointingly similar to cutting up pirate fodder. _Weaklings_, she decided as Wado glided through their white-sleeved ranks, _will be weaklings, no matter their allegiance._ But it felt good to be able to move freely again; so she made use of it as a stretching exercise, working out the kinks in her arms. The marks the ropes had left were already fading.

"Lieutenant!" the marines screeched, nursing their wounds. "She's a demon! An ice witch! We can't defeat her!"

"What did you say!?" the Lieutenant yelled, his face livid in anger. "Pick up a gun and shoot yourself right now. That's an order! I don't need weaklings under me!"

The marines, fools as they were, obediently aimed their guns at their own heads and were about to fire. This was why she had never understood marines. She slid her sword into Half-Lift and aimed a glare at the Lieutenant.

Ace was faster.

The Lieutenant whirled around, saw him coming, and slammed his ax hand at the boy's head. It slipped through a ball of flame. He turned full circle as his balance was upset, then roared like an enraged gorilla and tried again. This time two tendrils of fire wrapped themselves around the blade and turned it into a glob of molten metal.

The man took one look at his melting hand - and screamed like a little kid. Kuina scoffed. What a weakling.

"You're doing it wrong, stupid!" Ace frowned. "The marines are supposed to shoot the pirates! Not themselves!"

"Why, you good-for-nothing," the Lieutenant bellowed, "you have no right to oppose me! You don't have any rank at all! I'm Marine Lieutenant Ax-Hand Morgan!"

"And my name is Ace. It's very nice to meet you!"

And he slammed a solid fist into the Lieutenant's stomach. The man, three times his size, crumpled into the dust with ease.

"Wait!" someone called. Kuina glanced over her shoulder with a twinge of panic. "Don't move, or I'll shoot!"

They had left Coby by the wooden post, one hand pressed against his wound to staunch the blood flow. Now some other kid was standing beside him, a gun grinding against his pink hair. Ah, the kid who had set her up and who had dropped by every other day to sneer at her. He never did have the stomach to hang around for more than five minutes, though - a single glare was enough to send him running. She relaxed her sword slightly. The bullet wound was more of a danger to Coby's life than this over-privileged pansy.

"Ace..." Coby mumbled. His eyes flashed with determination, and he sat up taller beneath the gun.

"D-d-don't move!" the Lieutenant's son shouted.

"I'm not afraid of death!" Coby shouted even louder.

Ace stepped away from the Lieutenant and grinned full on at Coby. "I know. Now hold on just a sec - this is the hard part." He took a deep breath, then deepened his fighting stance, right arm wound up behind him and left hand gripping the shoulder. "Mera Mera no..."

"I said don't move!" the pansy shrieked. "Can't you hear me!?"

"Wha - aaaaah Ace! Ace, behind you!"

"Dad, thank God! Hurry!"

The Lieutenant rose up like a shadow behind Ace, his blunted ax raised high above his head. Kuina whirled her sword through Lift and Landing. When she was done, she watched Ace from the corner of her eye.

"...POW!"

He threw his fist forward. A flash of light erupted from his punch and hurtled itself through the air, straight into the pansy's face. A little _poff!_ sound.

Kuina discovered with no small amusement that the Lieutenant's son did inherit something from his father, after all. They both screamed like babies.

"Nice!" Ace chuckled. "I knew you were strong, Kuina!"

The Lieutenant careened into the ground as well, unconscious, her sword's mark engraved deep across his chest. At the same time, his son dropped the gun and collapsed from sheer panic, foaming at the mouth. The fringe of his blonde hair was singed, but the rest of the burns were superficial and would heal in days. So Ace's power was limited by distance, huh. Kuina raised an eyebrow and slid Wado back into its sheathe.

Well, now. That was a pretty good fight. She yawned, and promptly asked the leftover marines whether they wanted to become diced meat or if they preferred to kindly bring her some food.

Not much interesting happened after that. The marines, as it turned out, were thankful for the whole ruckus, and Coby was quickly buoyed to a hospital and treated. The rest of the town insisted on giving them a "proper hero's thanks," which meant a lot of cheering and clapping and shaking hands with every able body in the vicinity. Kuina was just glad for a proper meal, a good bath, and a real bed to sleep in. (Rika and her mother were alive and well, too, and they smiled freely - and that was good, that was as much of a "thank you" as anything.)

The next morning, after breakfast was had and final pleasantries were exchanged between them and the townsfolk, they sneaked into Coby's room at the hospital. He was doing great, he told them; the wound would heal clean.

"We're going to the Grand Line next," Ace said next. "Have you heard of it?"

"The Grand Line!?" the little boy choked. "Are you crazy!? You're crazy! The world's strongest pirates are all gathered there!"

"Watch it, don't reopen your wound." Kuina smiled a little crookedly. "And world's strongest doesn't sound too shabby."

"Kuina-san, you're saying crazy things, too! Just the two of you would never make it!"

Ace laughed. "It's not going to be just the two of us. Don't worry, Coby! Focus on becoming a good marine instead - we'll be fine."

"But I can't help worrying about you, okay!? I can worry, can't I!? I mean, you're my nakama! You are, right? Even though we just met..."

"Sure we are. It's sad we have to part so soon - but we'll always be nakama!"

He looked up at the two pirates; and his big, childlike eyes began to water from behind his glasses.

"Ack," she muttered. "Hey, don't cry, you big baby. Marines don't cry. Or the good ones don't, at least."

"I-I'm sorry, it's ju-just, I never had friends before - I was always being b-b-bullied, and-and everything, but..."

Ace smiled warmly. Kuina looked at him - a pirate encouraging a boy to become a marine. The strangest thing she had ever heard of, and yet exactly as it should be.

"Coby," Ace said. "We came to say goodbye. We're leaving now."

"What!? But - just like that!? You can still stay!"

"No, we can't. One Piece isn't going to wait forever for somebody to find it. Besides, pirates don't stay in one place long. We're pirates!" as if it was simply self-explanatory like that.

"I never was fond of leaving things behind," Kuina agreed.

"But..." he sniffled.

She quashed a sudden desire to tussle his pink hair.

Ace got up and perched himself on the edge of the room's window, where the morning sunshine poured around him and traced his outline on the wooden floor. One hand rested on the cowboy hat over his head. His eyes were filled with laughter. "You're going to be a great marine. I can just tell. So take care of yourself while we're gone, yeah?"

Without waiting for an answer, he hopped out the window and started off toward the bay. Kuina followed close at his heels. She didn't look back at the boy in the hospital, but she listened. Waiting.

Two pudgy hands slapped against the windowsill.

"Ace!" Coby yelled, his voice triumphant and loud, in a flurry of blankets thrown aside. "Thank you for teaching me to live by my dream! Thank you so much! I promise - I will never forget you, for as long as I live!"

Ace slowed and turned around, and he smiled so radiantly Kuina was compelled to spare a glance over her shoulder at the view. Coby was giving them the standard marine salute.

It jarred her for an instant, the salute - before, as a citizen, marines had meant upholders of the law. When she became a bounty hunter and the name of Yuki Onna spread, marines had looked upon her with fear, and she had regarded them merely as her source of income. In the Lieutenant's hands, she had viewed marines with disdain and annoyance. And now marines were, by definition, enemies.

But here was this boy with the kind of potential she would have given anything to bestow on another boy, years ago, and who could tear past his meekness and his fears and salute two pirates he hardly knew. He wasn't crying anymore. His smile matched Ace's, and the happiness was true. So, Kuina thought. So. In the end, it doesn't matter. Dreams will be dreams. No matter the flag they fly under. And with that she mentally shrugged the whole matter off and hoisted her flag, with its skull and crossbones, and left him to his own flag of white and blue.

Ace waved. "And I promise that we'll meet again, Coby. Later!"

They found Ace's little skiff waiting for them at the mouth of the sea, and then - under a clear sky, with the cry of seagulls in the sweet fresh air - they were off.

* * *

"Wait, I'm your only crew member? _It's just us!? _I thought there were other pirates!?" Kuina wailed.

Ace laughed. "No, I was planning on getting a few more members before entering the Grand Line - so you're my first crew member! Aren't you lucky?"

She managed, just barely, not to strangle him.

"It's not lucky at all! How will we get anywhere on a tiny boat like this!? We didn't even bring any food or water!"

A fat drop of water splashed on her cheek. She glanced up and noticed dark clouds gathering fast overhead.

"Oh, for the love of - now a storm's coming. This ship won't last. We need to dock at an island and wait it out!"

"What?" He blinked at her innocently. "What's wrong with this ship? I like this ship!"

She sighed. "Listen, Ace - the last time I sailed in a tiny boat in the middle of a storm, I almost drowned. The skiff I got after that was better, but the marines confiscated it. The future pirate king needs to get a proper ship. Let's dock."

He huffed. "Fine. Where do we go?"

"Nearest island, obviously. Don't you have a map?"

"Whaaaaat, a map!?" He scrunched up his face. "But they're boring! With a map you always know where you're going to go, and that's not an adventure anymore!"

She looked at him. The wind whipped her hair across her face, and the rain struck against her skin like small beads of glass. Kuina closed her eyes for a beat to calm herself, leaned forward, said gently, "Ace..."

And cracked him over the head with Wado's scabbard.

"What kind of captain are you!?" she screeched. "You need to know where you're headed to sail anywhere! If you get lost out at sea you'll die in a heartbeat!"

"Hey, I'm not dead yet!" Ace whined, rubbing the lump on his head.

"And if you want to stay that way, take this oar and _row!_"

She hurled a wooden oar at him and scrambled to rig the sails. The waves were swelling larger already, pitching the boat back and forth and spraying both pirates with salt water. She picked up the second oar, then in one smooth motion swept it through the water and turned the boat around. The motion brought a wave slamming straight across them. The shock of cold water drenched her clothes, and she cursed.

"We have to go back to Shells Town. Ace! Get rowing!" She paddled furiously for five seconds before realizing she was turning in circles. She turned to him angrily. "Ace!"

"...mmmrreaeaaeeeeahhh?" he gurgled. He was draped awkwardly across the bottom of the boat, the oar limp at his side.

"What do you think you're doing!? We need to row!" She had to shout to be heard over the storm. The rain was officially a downpour now, slanted at a freakish angle by the wind.

"I got wet..." he moaned. He flailed weakly. "Can't move...sorry..."

"What!?"

"Devil's Fruit...the sea drains our power..."

"What do you - what!?" The words connected in her brain with scintillating sparks (_ate a Devil's Fruit__- powerless in salt water - just a boy __- can't turn into fire - can't move - **can't swim**_), and she threw her oar down in frustration.

"You idiot! Tell me that sooner!"

The waves rose high, much higher than before, and the little skiff plunged down from a three-foot crest dangerously. They were thrown against the side of the boat, where buckets of water slammed into them, and they came mere inches away from capsizing. Kuina growled and grabbed the scruff of Ace's shirt with one hand, the other firmly gripping the side of the boat.

"Ace, I promise you, if I die because of your stupidity I'll-"

And then the ocean rose up, curled around them a blue tongue so dark it was almost black, and swallowed them both.

* * *

The first thing she thought was: _My captain is an idiot._

Her second thought was: _So Devil Fruit users have a weakness, after all. I can use this if I have to fight one._

And then, finally, her brain woke up enough to piece together the more conventional first thought upon awakening after a life-threatening experience: _One moment. I'm not dead?_

"They're waking up!"

"Uwah! Uwah! What do we do!?"

"Sshhh, they'll hear! Go get her, quick!"

The three high-pitched voices grated against her ears unpleasantly. She moved to roll over, and was met by an extremely unpleasant leaden feeling in her limbs and sodden clothes. She grunted experimentally - her throat was raw and fiery with thirst.

Right, much too unpleasant for the afterlife. Time to get up.

Kuina cracked her eyes open and saw a figure bending over her, pale hands holding a flask of water. Cool fingers pressed against her forehead.

"You're awake," a soft voice said.

Her hands jerked automatically for her sword, found thin air. She growled and surged up from the sand.

"Oh! Do be careful, your condition is still not optimal-"

A wave of nausea smacked her in the face. She swayed for a moment, then stumbled down toward the ocean waves and threw up. So much for her first breakfast in weeks. She washed out the sour taste in her mouth with seawater. Only then did she look around and finally get her bearings.

This was an island. By some miracle, she had survived, and landed on an island. A quick scan of the rocky shore told her that Ace had survived, too - he was lying peacefully in the shade below a tree. The beach met a cliff face and a forest a few yards beyond him, and at its base, three little figures hid behind a boulder. The storm had passed. The afternoon sun was shining brightly.

"Please, lie down! You are not well."

A girl jogged toward her in soft, light steps. She was wearing a light blue tank top, a boomerang strapped to her hip, and a long skirt that elegantly flowed around her legs without getting in the way. She had pale blonde hair tied up into a ponytail. Her brown eyes were sharp and attentive, but with an underlying gentleness that spoke of warmth and comfort. Not a fighter. Kuina pushed away her residual queasiness and regarded her coldly.

"Who are you?" she rasped.

"My name is Kaya. I live in this village - this is Syrup Village, by the way. You must have washed ashore from a storm. The three children and I discovered you two here just now, and were administering emergency aid. Are you alright? Are you dizzy? Lightheaded? Do you feel discomfort of any kind?"

"I'm fine."

The water was offered to her. She raised an eyebrow at the stranger skeptically.

"After such an ordeal your body needs rest and hydration. Please drink this. It's not poisoned, if that's what you fear - I'm a doctor, so you can trust me."

She snorted at that, but took the water anyways. She watched the pale-haired girl from the corner of her eye as she drank.

From the trees, Ace made a grumbling sound and rolled over. Kaya immediately rushed to his side.

"You're awake, too. How do you feel?"

A noncommittal answer. Kuina approached at a cautious distance behind her, eyes flickering to the sword propped against a neighboring tree. Ace's cowboy hat swung from its hilt.

"Are you alright?" Kaya asked softly. "Can you hear me?"

Ace's eyes fluttered open, and he stared up into the sunshine and the girl's face.

"Oh, hello!" he chirped. He sprang up to his feet easily. After a second of looking around in a daze, he remembered his manners and bowed to Kaya. "My name is Ace. That's my swordsman. It's very nice to meet you!" He felt for his hat, saw it on top of Wado, and hopped over to it. He placed it on his head with a broad grin.

Kaya blinked in surprise, the whisper of a smile on her face. "Oh. It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Ace." She turned to Kuina with a faint cock of her head. "And his...swordsman?"

Kuina bowed her head slightly as confirmation. She handed back the water flask. "Call me Kuina."

Ace shook the last drops of water out of his hair and made a face at his waterlogged boots. "So what happened?"

"You were an idiot," Kuina immediately responded.

Ace shaded his eyes with his hand and looked over the beach. "Ah!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Our ship! It's totally destroyed, Kuina! Look!"

"That must have been a truly terrible storm," Kaya breathed. "Thank goodness you made it here. Come - I'll take you into the village. Carrot! Pepper! Onion!"

The three little figures behind the boulder flinched. There was a fierce whispered debate in three high-pitched voices about something like "Who goes first." Kaya sighed.

"I do apologize, they take after...well, their cowardice is certainly commendable." She stalked to the boulder and spoke in hushed tones something that might have been a threat. All three children squealed and dashed into the open at the same time.

"I see you are ready to greet our guests now," Kaya said, perfectly seriously.

"Hi! I'm Pepper!"

"I'm Carrot!"

"I'm Onion!"

"Are you pirates!?" they all shouted.

Kaya's calm eyes flashed suddenly - a flare of emotion that surged up for an instant and then retreated just as fast into the folds of her gentle brown heart. "You can't say those kinds of things to strangers," she chided. "It's not polite at all."

"But we are!" Ace laughed. "We're pirates!"

Kuina frowned, watching Kaya. "Actually, yeah, we are. Shoddy pirate crew right now, but a pirate crew still."

Kaya froze.

The three little boys gasped. Three pairs of little hands stretched out and held each other in amazement.

"...Really? But you don't have a pirate flag!"

"We're going to get one soon," Ace promised. "And a ship! Our old ship crashed, so our next one will be huge and awesome and Romantic!"

The kids looked like they were about to say more - but a long pale arm swooped out and herded them toward the forest path, presumably toward the village.

"It's time to go, Carrot, Pepper, Onion. Your parents will be worried about you."

"What!? But-"

"But the pirates-"

"_Go._"

They gulped, cast one last longing look at Ace, and scampered quickly out of sight.

"Aw, I wanted to talk to them more," Ace pouted.

Kuina regarded the pale-haired girl closely.

"So you two are pirates," she said quietly, her face an emotionless mask.

"Yeah!"

She turned her back on them and strode swiftly down the path after the kids, abandoning them. Her voice was quiet and severe.

"Please leave this village, then. I am sorry for the ship. But pirates - I refuse to see one every step foot in this village." And then, her pale form already almost invisible in the foliage, her distant voice carried one last phrase through the air.

"I despise pirates."

* * *

**Words of the Sheep:** Kuina's arc is done! Rejoice! Hope it wasn't too much like a rehash of the plot - I actually wanted to skip the entire battle with Morgan, but Kuina needed to see Ace fight. The real fun starts now, though. Because from here on out, the differences start piling on and diverging more and more from the original manga. Care to guess how this'll play out? :p

Notes: Ace's Mera Mera no Pow! stance is identical to Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Pistol. Except I suck at names. (Pow!)

As Zoro's moves are often associated with demons and dragons, Kuina's moves have to do with Yuki Onnas (Japanese mythological demons who seduced men on snowy paths and drained away their life force) and birds. Lift = raising her sword, Landing = sheathing it. Lift, thrust, drag, angle of attack. Bird wing terms. I still miss Santoryuu, though...

Carrot, Pepper, and Onion are Ninjin, Tamanegi, and Piman. There's no way I can keep all that Japanese straight, though. So here. English-fied names.

...Kaya ended up being exactly like my older sister...why...

Kuina is 20 years old. Kaya is 16, Ace is 17.

(Working on Reg the FG now! thank you for your patience :D Man, working on three stories at once is hard.)


	3. Voyage 3

EXT. SYRUP VILLAGE, SHORE -DAY

KAYA is walking away, passing into the forest. ACE and KUINA stand side by side and stare after her disappearing figure, until Ace skips lightly into the forest too.

ACE Hey, Miss! Wait!

KUINA What the -Ace! Get back here! She made it perfectly clear we aren't welcome in this place.

It's too late, though -he's gone. Kuina pinches the bridge of her nose, sighs, and picks up her sword. She slides it into her belt and follows.

EXT. SYRUP VILLAGE, FOREST -CONTINUOUS

The path is on the narrower side, the tree branches low. Kuina jogs to catch up to Ace, who's already trying to talk to Kaya. He's leaning over to look at her face as he walks, a hand keeping the cowboy hat on his head, as she resolutely faces forward and doesn't miss a step.

ACE Miss! Miss, what's wrong? Why don't you like pirates? Did something happen?

KAYA Please leave.

ACE Why? We haven't done anything. Pirates aren't all bad.

KAYA I'm asking you kindly. Please leave.

KUINA Ace

ACE Kuina! She won't talk to me!

Abruptly, Kaya stops walking and turns around. She's poised in a defensive stance, gripping the boomerang at her waist.

Kuina grips her sword in kind.

KAYA

(frigidly polite:) If I have to resort to force I _will_. This village is my home. I will protect it. I want nothing to do with you pirates. Please leave.

Ace is nonplussed. He dips his head a little, apologetic.

ACE Sorry! Did we scare you? Really we didn't mean to -we aren't gonna hurt anyone, I promise.

KAYA That's as well; but nevertheless you must leave.

KUINA (hissing:) Ace. Let's go.

ACE (to Kuina:) Go where? We don't have a ship.

KUINA We'll figure something out! For now we just need to do what she says and _leave_.

ACE But she says she doesn't like pirates.

Kaya's stance softens slightly.

KUINA Oh, for the love of -who cares? Nobody in their right mind would like pirates!

Her fair eyes look surprised, but still wary.

ACE I do, too! And the three kids we just met! And you!

He puffs up his chest and points at himself with his thumb.

ACE (CONT'D) Being a pirate is something to be proud of!

Kaya grips her boomerang tighter and bites her lip.

Kuina smacks him on the head with the scabbard of her sword, too quickly for him to dodge or turn into fire. He reels, forehead smoking.

KUINA Only because _you _are a mad fool. Don't lump me together with your crowd.

She grabs him by the scruff of his shirt and starts to drag him back toward the shore.

KAYA (O.S.) Wait.

Kuina pauses. Ace gets up to blink at Kaya curiously.

She looks at them both carefully, a hand still resting on her boomerang.

KAYA Do you have any other way to leave the island, besides a ship?

Kuina and Ace glance at each other. She stays expressionless.

ACE Dunno. I guess not.

Kaya, in her dress under the sunlight, looks watchful and unwavering. She steps forward.

She touches one hand to Ace's neck and looks into his eyes. He blinks, but looks more openly curious than surprised.

KAYA If I give you a ship and supplies, will you leave immediately and without causing trouble?

He thinks for a moment.

ACE If that's what you want.

Kuina raises an eyebrow. He's completely serious for once. She thinks they're flirting or something, and looks away with a faint trace of annoyance in her face.

Kaya turns to Kuina and does the same thing -a hand on her neck, looking into her eyes. Kuina flinches back.

KUINA What're you -!?

KAYA Hold still, please.

She's serious. Kuina cautiously complies.

KAYA Do you swear not to harm anyone in this village?

Kuina sees the concern in Kaya's eyes and glances down at the sword by her waist. She taps the hilt and looks up again.

KUINA

(offended:) I will never stoop so low as to fight a defenseless person.

KAYA Do you _swear _not to harm _anyone _in this village?

Kuina grits her teeth and glares straight down into Kaya's eyes. She's taller than her by a few centimeters.

KUINA Fine. I swear it.

Kaya takes a moment to stare at her, then she nods and steps back.

KAYA I will go to the village and get you a skiff and some basic supplies. It won't be much, but it should allow you to reach the nearest island without trouble.

ACE Really!? Thanks, Miss!

Ace grins widely and bows from the waist.

KAYA Please wait by the shore. I will be back by nightfall at the latest. I keep my promises, as I expect you will too.

And she turns around and continues down the path. Ace laughs and waves at her broadly.

ACE You're awesome, Miss! We'll be waiting! Thanks!

Kuina glares at her disappearing back. She turns around without looking at Ace and starts to go back to the shore.

Ace stops waving and follows his swordsman.

ACE Hey, Kuina.

He leans over to look at her face.

ACE (CONT'D) Kuina? What's wrong? We're gonna have a ship now -isn't that great?

KUINA (shaking her head, under her breath:)

Why did I want to become a pirate?

EXT. SYRUP VILLAGE, SHORE

The beach is exactly the same as they had left it. Ace goes and finds a shady spot under the trees to lie down. Kuina goes to the ruins of the skiff.

She rolls up her loose cotton capris and wades into the water. At first, she halfheartedly looks through it to see if there's anything she can salvage. Then she gives up altogether and just stands, watching the tide trace white foam around the jagged wooden shapes and her pale, feminine ankles.

CARROT (O.S.) Ah! They're still here!

PEPPER (O.S.) Shhh, they'll hear us!

She jerks upright and whirls toward the voices: the same big rock the three boys had hidden behind earlier.

Ace has heard, too. He sits up against a tree.

He's smiling.

ACE Hey! You're back.

CARROT, PEPPER, ONION (O.S.) Ah...!

ACE You can come out. We won't tell the pretty blonde Miss.

There's shuffling and young, agitated whispering from behind the rock. Kuina steps out of the water and comes to stand a few feet behind Ace.

One of the boys seems to trip -he falls to the ground beside the rock, a round green hairdo fully visible.

PEPPER Oof.

CARROT, ONION Pepper!

The other two tumble out from behind the rock, in a way that might be protective but is mostly just clumsy.

Kuina stares at them speechlessly.

When all three of them realize that hiding is hopeless now, they quickly arrange themselves into action figure poses.

CARROT Greetings, pirates! I'm Carrot!

PEPPER I'm Pepper!

ONION I'm Onion!

KUINA (quietly:) We know that already...

CARROT, PEPPER, ONION Together, we make up the Usopp Pirates!

ACE Usopp Pirates?

ONION If you're going to hurt our village, we'll chase you out with our 800 followers!

KUINA

(not buying it:) Yeah, yeah. We aren't going to touch anyone.

ACE

(laughing:) 800 followers? Amazing! You guys have guts! So you're the Usopp Pirates?

The kids have clearly never had such a positive reaction before. They blush, and cling to each other, amazed.

PEPPER

(excitedly:) Yeah! The Usopp Pirates! We've even got a flag!

CARROT You guys are pirates too, right? What're you called?

Kuina blinks. Ace shrugs.

ACE We're pirates. I'm Ace, it's nice to meet you. She's my swordsman.

CARROT, PEPPER, ONION Cooool.

Kuina, a tad bit flustered, turns away and lies down under the trees for a nap.

ACE Hey, Carrot, Pepper, Onion -who was that blonde Miss?

ONION That was Kaya!

CARROT She's really nice. She's gonna be a doctor when she grows up.

PEPPER She's already all grown up! She's so good at being a doctor, she saved you guys, see?

ONION She's rich, too. But her butler's scary.

ACE So her name's Kaya. How come she doesn't like pirates? You guys sure do.

The three glance at each other.

Kuina's eyes are still open. She's listening.

CARROT Well, a lot of stuff happened.

PEPPER Bad stuff. And it had to do with pirates.

ONION You know our pirate name? It's to do with him, too. Usopp was a guy who lived in Syrup Village, and he hung out with Kaya all the time. He was always talking about being a pirate -he was our leader.

CUT TO:

EXT. SYRUP VILLAGE, OUTSIDE KAYA'S MANSION -DAY

Kaya is walking toward the back of the mansion. She's sweating and starting to breathe more heavily.

ONION (V.O.) But, three years ago...

She swallows, and clutches her chest with a hand that's starting to shake.

ONION (CONT'D) ...he abandoned us.

* * *

**Words of the Sheep:** You thought I abandoned this...you saw me update and gleefully tried to read this...and found...

...this.

Major experiment here. I used Celtx to write this as a movie script, but freakin fanfic keeps screwing it up. At least it's still readable. Anyways, I thought it would be cool. It's fun to practice screenwriting too, since I'm writing normal prose so much for other things.

What do you think? Or should I just stick to convention from now on?


End file.
